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Just Jump (and the Net Will Appear)

I assume I am like many women. We love to discuss ideas, layout the 50 different ways something can be done, research completely, make a decision, and then change our minds 3 or 4 times before going forward. Now, I am not knocking women, just pointing out that we like to fully understand a problem before we tackle it, which is a good thing.

This is great in fields like marketing, accounting, and long term sales, but can be a bit of a stopper for those of us who'd like to own or run our own business. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time, and here and there I have always worked for small companies trying to gain a good foundation in many areas of business. I've collected a large wealth of information on how to start a business, research the market, price, sell, create long-term customers, and more. I could probably have an MBA in Small Business by now!

But the one thing I've lacked is that push to move forward. The what-if's have gotten a hold of me. Sometimes I feel I need to know everything there is to know before taking action. I've often felt that I am great at helping others build their companies or departments, why can't I do this for myself? Well, my newest job, at a small, Internet focused company, has already taught me a few important things:

You will never know everything, no matter how much time you spend learning the industry.

Doers make money for themselves. Planners help other people make money.

You just have to jump in! It sounds simple, but is one of the hardest things to do in business, especially as a woman.

So what if you don't know everything, but you come across a great opportunity? Spend some time planning, but don't obsess. Layout a quick what, why, where, and how plan, then get down to business. Create that site/company and make it live. Advertise, get business cards, tell people what you're doing?

Know that things will go wrong, usually things you would never plan for anyone. If you're good, you will fix them and learn from them. You will use what you learned to make things better or start your next project with a wiser knowledge base.

Good luck. Now get off your duff, stop reading, and start making yourself some money.

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